Improvement in diffusion apparatus



v :c. NEAMES.

DIFFUSION APPARATUS.

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[PETERS PNOTO-LITNOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D. c

Unirnn S'IA'I CHARLES NEAMES, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlFFUSlQN APPARATUS Specification-forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,623, dated August 1, 1876; application filed May 16, 1876.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts;

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of the diffusion apparatus known as the Julius Roberts Diffusion Apparatus, in such a way as to secure a more perfect extraction of the saccharine matter from the material used, and at the same time make a more economical and simple apparatus. In doing this I dispense with the outside heater, its two lines of leading pipes, and their necessary valves, by placing the pipes for heating purposes within the diffusion-vessels, and thus avoid loss of heat by radiation from the saccharine liquid while traveling through two longlines of pipe, back and forth between the heater and the diffusion-vessel.

By placing the heating-pipes in each difl'usion-vessel, one-sixth of the amount of heating-surface now required for each vessel will be suflicient, and also a uniform temperature may be obtained in one, two, or more vessels at the same time. This latter advantage is of great importance to a thorough extraction of all the saccharine matter from sugar-cane, beets, &c., by diffusion, and is not attainable in the apparatus now in use, as in them the liquid from only one diffusion-vessel can be heated at a time.

The peculiar construction of my diffusionvessel enables the refuse to be more readily discharged. This is of great importance in operating upon sugar-cane, as the cane-chips pack and are troublesome to discharge from a vessel with parallel sides.

My invention consists in a diEusion-vessel of a difl'usion apparatus gradually increasing in size from its top or inlet opening to its bottom or outlet opening; in the wood packing interposed between the rim of the doors and the door-frames of a diffusion-vessel; in the division-plate extending from the top to the bottom of the diffusion vessel to form the heating-chamber, and having its lower part perforated with numerous small holes to serve as a strainer; in the heating-pipes placed within the diflusion-vessels of a difiusion appara- 'I. B is the angle stop-valve for the steamv pipe S, leading to the steam-chamber R of the heating-pipes, of which there are ten in each vessel. 0 are two stop-valves cast together, one being the water-pressure valve, and the other being the overrun-valve, which is used when bringing the liquid forward from the bottom of one vessel to the top of another vessel of the train. D is the angle stop-valve for the steam-pipe, leading from the steampipe I into the stand-pipe 4, and is used for steaming the cane-chips, and for steaming out the diffusion-vessel and the pipes to clean them. E is the stop-valve attached to the stand-pipe 4, and to the leading discharge-pipe J, and is used for discharging the saccharine liquid from the diffusion-vessel after it has acquired sufficient density. water-pipe, with which the overrun-valve O is connected. I G is the pipe for removing the water of condensation from the heating-pipes. H is the overrun -pipe, which connects the overrun-valve G with the top of the difl'usionvessel. [is the main leading steam-pipe, from which the steam is taken through the valves B or D. K is one of the heating-pipes, the

lower end of which is closed, and its upper end is screwed into the top of the difi'usionvessel. Within each of the pipes K is placed 'a small pipe, L, the lower end of which is open,

and its upper end is screwed into the divisionplate of the steam-distributing chamber R. M is the sheet-iron division-plate that forms the heating-chamber, and extends from the top to the bottom of the (infusion-chamber, and the F is the leading lower part of which, between the points N N, is perforated with numerous small holes to adapt it to serve as a strainer. O is an angle stop-valve, which is used for discharging the waste-water from the diffusion-vessel into the waste-water trough. P is thelower or discharge door, in the inner side of the rim of which is formed a groove to receive a wood packing, 5, which is pressed against a tongue or flange formed upon the door-frame, to form a close joint. The door P is pressed into place.

by eight screw-bolts, which are screwed'up against the outer ends of eight square bars, W, that pass through Wrought-iron clevises, provided with screw-holes to receive the said screw-.

bolts. The clevises are secured in an outwardly-projecting flange of the diffusion -vessel. The inner ends of the square bars W have a wrist at right angles to same, which are inserted in curved slots formed in the disk V. The disk V is turned, to operate the bars W, by a lever, Y, attached to it. The disk V is pivoted to the wrought-iron middle part of the door. The door 1? is attached to the lower end of a rod, 6. the upper end of which is attachedv to a pulley-block, 7, whioh=rolls along the horizontal arm of a bracket, 8, attached to the upper part of the diffusion-vessel, to open and close the door P. The upper door is packed with wood and secured by bolts, in the same way as the lower door, except that only two bolts are used, which are moved in and out by hand, and the said door is pivoted to'the door- 1 frame by a bolt.

In theordinary difl'usion apparatus there is an average loss of one pound of sugar in every one hundred pounds of cane, arising from insufficient circulation. To obviate this I have applied my circulating-wheel, arranged to be run by a pulley-belt and a shaft extending the whole length of the apparatus, with one wheel for each vessel. This, in connection with heatin g-pipes placed within each vessel, avoids the outside heater, saves one hundred and eighty feet of pipe, and renders unnecessary twentytwo valves, while I can have a uniform temperature in two or more vessels at the same time. The object of the wheel is to keep up a circular motion of the liquid in each vessel. The door is operated by a partial rotation of the disk having slots, the clevis screw-bolts being set down on bars, and made to force the door up to the flange of "essel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a difl'usion apparatus, a diffusion-vessel gradually increasing in size from its top or inlet opening. to its bottom or outlet opening,

substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The division-plate M, extending from the top to the bottom of a diffusion-vessel to form the heatingchamber, and'having its lower part perforated with numerous small holes to serve as a strainer, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of circulatin g-wheel with heating-pipes K L, placed within the diffusionvessels of a diffusion apparatus, substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The combination of the circulating-wheel and its pipe with the diffusion-vessel of a diffusion apparatus, substantially as herein shown and described. 7

CHARLES NEAMES.

Witnesses:

J. PARIS OHILANG, E. F. HOLMES. 

